Our Professors

Agathe Leimoni

Professors

Founder - Artist Director

George Aravidis

Greece

Sylvia Chu

Taiwan

Philippe Raskin

Belgium

Raquel Boldorini

Uruguay

Lilia Boyadjieva

Bulgaria

Pavel Eliashevich

Russia

Marina Pliassova

Hector Moreno

Argentina

Rafael Salinas

Michael Wladkowski

Spain

France

Denis Chefanov

Russia

Thelma Da Capo

Marina Pliassova

Norway-Russia

Founder - Artist Director

Agathe Leimoni is born in Athens. She obtained her Diplomas of Piano (class:Gerassimos Kakalis), Harmony, Counterpoint and Fugue (class:Andrea Carbone), with the highest distinctions in Greece and continued her musical studies in Italy, obtaining the Diploma of Piano (class: Luigi Mostacci, State Conservatory of Bologna).
She has been a student of Julia and Konstantin Ganev for several years.
She has attended the class of “Perfectionnement” at the “Ecole Normale de Musique” in Paris, for two years, with Germaine Mounier and Young Shin An.
Since her childhood, she has participated in many master classes of famous pianists who have commented her special musical nature, her brio and sensibility and received prizes and distinctions in various International Competitions.
She has given a lot of recitals in Europe (Greece, Italy, Germany, France, England, Bulgaria, Belgium, Norway, Austria, Russia and Rumania), in South and Central America (Uruguay, Argentina, Mexico), participating also in many important Festivals.
She has performed as a soloist in Greece, Italy, Bulgaria, Rumania and Uruguay with the Orchestras of Athens, Thessaloniki, Bologna, Napoli, Sliven, Arad, Russe, Sibiu and Montevideo. She has been a member of Jury and President in many National and International Musical Competitions, in Greece, Italy, Bulgaria, France, Spain and Rumania.

She is a piano Professor and Head of the Piano Department at the Hellenic Conservatory of Athens and in Pythagorio Conservatory of Athens.

Since 2007 she is Professor at Schola Cantorum of Paris, where many of her students have graduated the last years, obtaining the superior Diplomas with the highest distinctions.

Since 2010 she is a regular Professor at the International Piano Academy of Belgium ”Primavera Pianistica”.

Since 2013 she has been nominated Visiting Professor at the Gnessin’s Music Academy of Moscow, starting a new artistic collaboration between the Russian Academy and the Helleneic Conservatory.
She has given master classes in Greece, Bulgaria, Italy, France, Spain, Belgium, Norway and South America with great success.
She has been teaching since the age of 16, and her successful pedagogical career has established her as one of the most promising professors of piano in Greece and abroad. She has been travelling with her students in many countries and has offered them the chance to experience many musical opportunities and international events. Her pupils have won many prizes in National and International Competitions and have been distinguished abroad.
She has been awarded the golden medal of UNESCO and a special Diploma as a honorary member of the ‘CH.O.N.’ Musical Association of Greece, for her unique teaching and artistic contribution.
She has been awarded the Golden Medal of the “Union of Bulgarian Musicians and Dancers” and she has been acclaimed as the best pedagogue in the International Music Competition “Music and Earth” – Sofia 2006, for her pupils’ success.
She has been presented as a soloist and professor several times by the radio and tv in Greece and abroad . She has been interviewed by various newspapers and channels and received very enthusiastic praise from journalists in Greece and abroad. She is Vice President of ‘CH.O.N.’ Musical Association of Greece.
She is the founder and Artistic Director of the ‘International Seiler Piano Competition – Rhodes 2004′, the ‘International Piano Festival- Rhodes 2004′, the ‘International Seiler Summer Piano Academy – Rhodes 2005′ ,the ‘International Seiler Piano Competition and Festival–Rethymno 2006′ and of the International Summer Piano Academy and Festival of Poros since 2009.

Agathe Leimoni

George Aravidis - Greece

Giorgos Aravidis was born in Athens in 1965.He studied Piano and Advanced Theory (Harmony, Counterpoint, Fugue) at the" Hellenic Conservatory of Athens" and obtained his Piano Soloist and Theory Diplomas with the highest distinction.

He continued his studies at the "Ecole Normale Superieure de Musique de Paris", in France where he studied Orchestra Conducting with Professor-Conductor Dominique Ruits. He graduated with first distinction.

After completing his studies, he was accepted as a student at several Orchestra Conducting Masterclasses:Richard Schumacher (Switzerland),Yuri Simonov (Hungary) and Choir Conduct ing with Peter Erdei (Hungary).

He participated in the 16th National Conducting Competition in Lugano (Switzerland) with success.

He attended various seminars including "Carl Orff" in Austria (Universitat Mozarteum Salzburg-Orff Institut) and "Zoltan Kodaly" in Hungary (Kodaly Pedagogical Institut of Music). He began his career in Paris by conducting regordings by young French composers (in first performances),ballet music and film scores.

He has conducted varius orchestras abroad, including the "Symphony Orchestra of South Hungary", the "National Symphony Orchestra of Cyprus", the Italian Orchestra "Giovanni Partenopea".

In Greece, he conducted the "National Orchestra of Salonika" at the age of 26.Since then, he has conducted several high-profile orchestras, including the "National Orchestra of Athens", the "Symphony Orchestra of the National Radio (ERT)",the "Contemporary Music Orchestra of the National Television (ERT)",the "State Orchestra of Athens", the "Chamber

Music Orchestra of the National Opera", the "Symphony Orchestra of Volos".

He has been working with the "Greek National Opera" since 1995 as a Conductor.

He has conducted recordings for the "National Radio and Television" and has worked in

varius productions by the "Athens Concert Hail{Megaron)",the "Salonika Concert Hall", the

"Irodio Theatre (Athens Music Festival).

Since 1994 he is the principal Conductor of the "Chamber Opera of Athens".

Since 1992 he founded the "Protipon Chamber Orchestra of Athens" and since 2005 he

founded the "Sinfonietta Orchestra of Athens", which he has been conducting since then.

He has taught varius Masterclasses at the "Opera Lab" of the Greek National Opera.

He composes music and he has been part of the examiners boards in varius musical

competitions (including the "Greek National Scholarship Foundation").

He has been a founding member of the "Conservatory Orchestra" for which he worked for 4 years (1992-1996).

George Aravidis

Raquel Boldorini

Raquel Boldorini - Uruguay

Studied in Montevideo, Uruguay, at the National Conservatory of Music. Post-graduate work included studies with Eliane Richepin, Marguerite Long, Leon Fleisher, Sergio Lorenzo and Maria Tipo.

A major prizewinner, has won awards at the following competitions: Vercelli (Italy), Recife (Brazil), Vina del Mar (Chile), and Lalewicz (Argentina).

In 1975 received a scholarship to attend the Aspen Music Festival where she won a prize to play a Mozart Concerto.

She has played recitals in all major cities of Latin America, USA, France, Spain, Italy, England, Germany, Greece, Taiwan and Russia.

The review in the New York Times was “bejeweled playing could hardly be more expert or sympathetically in tune with the material”. Hailed as “an aristocrat of the piano” (Washington Post). She has been praised for her “pianistic experience and superb sensitivity” (The Post and Courier, Charleston SC). And for her “bewitching musical personality” (La Razon, Buenos Aires)

Raquel Boldorini

Lilia Boyadjieva - Bulgaria

Lilia Boyadjieva’s playing has won widespread acclaim:

“Powerful and delicate, masterful and idiomatic” – “Intensity of purpose and bold dynamic control” – “Lyrical, mercurial reading as well as a strong one” – “Power of expression allied to extreme emotional tension”

Audiences at every performance are invariably enthralled, surprised, sometimes disturbed but never indifferent. With unwavering conviction, she has interpreted works from the full spectrum of the established repertoire: from J.S. Bach – for whose music she entertains a very deep admiration and appreciation – to the 20th century music, for which she feels a special affinity – working exhaustively on Samuel Barber and Shostakovich as well as on most Bulgarian and Greek composers – through the standard classical, romantic and post-romantic works.
Her recording of Barber’s complete piano works has been praised by Fanfare Magazine (March/April 1997) as : ” probably the most valuable CD solely devoted to Barber’s keyboard music.” In particular, her interpretation of the Barber Sonata (op. 26), “played with an extraordinary combination of power and delicacy, is one of the finest readings on record.” Among critics, the consensus is that her strong interpretative skills bring new dimensions to familiar works, in addition to being both inspiring and exciting.

Born and educated in Sofia, Bulgaria, she completed her studies at the Moscow Conservatory « P. I. Tschaikovsky », with Professor T. D. Gutman. Her awards at international piano competitions include prizes at Senigalia (Italy – 1979), Vianna da Motta (Portugal – 1983), Maria Callas (Greece – 1985) and more.

Lilia Boyadjieva pursues a brilliant soloist career mainly in Europe. Invited by prestigious Festivals (Montpellier, Auvers-sur-Oise, Sofia, Athens) she performs in recitals as a soloist, with orchestras and with chamber music ensembles in various countries. Radio and television organizations in different countries often broadcast her concerts.

Very appreciated for her teaching abilities, she has taught at the Sofia Musical Academy, in Athens and Paris (CNR, Schola Cantorum). She gives numerous master classes in Greece, France and the U.S.

The American label ARTEK Recordings has recently published her CD “Around the Fugue” – a polyphonic journey from Bach until today – wonderfully brought forth by her exceptional talent. A new Shostakovich CD (2nd Sonata, 24 Preludes and 3 Fantastic Dances) has been produced by the same label in 2009.

Lilia Boyadjieva

Denis Chefanov

Denis Chefanov - Russia

Denis Vladimirovich Chefanov was born in 1974, Tyumen. He started piano lessons at the age of 4 under the guidance of his mother, who is professional music teacher. His stage debut took place at the Kazan Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet when he was 7. His first stage performance with State symphonic orchestra of Republic Tatarstan took place when he was 9. In 1981—1992 he studied in Secondary Special Music School of Kazan State Conservatory. He was student of honored teacher of Tatarstan, N. Khakimova.

In 1992 Denis Chefanov entered the Moscow State Conservatory. He studied with Naum Shtarkman, who was the last student of Konstantin Igumnov. After his graduation, he became assistant to his teacher. After the death of Shtarkman in 2007, Denis Chefanov became assistant to Aleksey Nasedkin, who was the last student of Heinrich Neuhaus. Since 2014 he is teacher of Moscow State Conservatory, also since 2017 he is docent of Gnessin’s Russian Academy of Music.

Over the years of working in Conservatory and in Central Music School he prepared over 100 awardees of international competitions.

He is holder of docent title by Higher Attestation Commission, professor of The Bolshoi Theatre Ballet Academy.

He is awardee of international competitions in Sweden, Ukraine, Russia.

Since 2004 he is teacher of The Summer Creative School «New Names» in Suzdal under the direction of UNESCO. He also actively participates in projects by Denis Matsuev.

Since 2013 he is visiting professor in Kurashiki Sakuyo University, Japan. Since 2016 he is visiting professor in Niigata University, Japan.

He is special guest and juryman of international competition festival at the homeland of Konstantin Igumnov, Lipetsk.

He is active concert performer in the following halls:

— Great Hall of Moscow Conservatory;

— Small Hall of Moscow Conservatory;

— Rachmaninoff Hall of Moscow Conservatory;

— Chamber Hall of Moscow International House of Music;

— Concert Hall of Pavel Slobodkin Centre;

— Chamber Hall of Moscow State Academic Philarmonic Society;

— Great Hall of Gnessin’s Russian Academy of Music;

— Small Hall of Saint-Peterburg Academic Philarmonic Society.

He is also performing in philarmonic societies of Omsk, Tomsk, Khabarovsk, Vologda, Kazan, Ryazan, Naberezhnye Chelny, Saratov, Nizhny Novgorod, Tyumen, Novy Urengoi, Novokuznetsk, Kemerovo, Barnaul, Vladimir, Ivanovo, Tula, Belgorod (Russia), Grodno, Lida (Belarus) and others.

Beside solo performances Denis Chefanov cooperates with following orchestras:

— State Symphonic Orchestra of Republic Tatarstan;

— Chamber Orchestra of Ryazan Regional Filarmonic Society;

— Large Symphony Orchestra of Ryazan Regional Filarmonic Society;

— Accordion Orchestra of Nizhny Novgorod State Conservatory;

— Chamber Orchestra of Moscow Concert Assosiation «Sadko»;

— Orchestra of Saratov State Phylarmonic Society;

— Junior Symphony Orchestra;

— Moscow Orchestra «Radio-1»;

— Symphony Orchestra of Ministry of Defence of Russian Federation;

— Symphony Orchestra of Pavel Slobodkin Centre;

— Military Exemplary Band of the Honor Guard.

He also cooperates with following famous Russian and foreign musicians: Naum Shtarkman, Elena Savelyeva, Oleg Hudyakov, Victor Lyadov, Polina Fedotova, Rustem Kudoyarov, Nadezhda Tokareva, Aleksey Mayevsky, Evgeny Rumyantsev, Nikolai Ageev, Alexander Selivanov, Maria Vlasova, Mikhail Burlakov (Russia), Tyantyan Tan, Shanzhun Tzyan (China), Pavel Minev (Bulgaria), Duncan Gifford (Australia), Filippo Arlia (Italy), State String Quartet n.a. Glinka, Soloists Ensemble «Classic-Forum» and others.

Denis Chefanov

Sylvia Chu

Sylvia Hsiang-Tai CHU - Taiwan

Sylvia Chu is both a Taiwanese pianist and a piano professor. After completing her
music degree in Taiwan, she received a prestigious Spanish government scholarship
and continued her studies at the Madrid Royal Conservatoire under the tutelage of
Prof. F. Puchol and Prof. M. Carra. Later, she went on to study at the Ecole Normale
de Musique in Paris, where her teachers included Prof. M. Soma and Prof. G.
Mounier. She also studied vocal accompaniment with Prof. H. Cartier-Bresson at the
Boulogne-Billancourt CNR.
Her concert schedule has seen international appearances both as chamber music
performer and soloist. Apart from her concert performing career, she established a
successful teaching practice with frequent invitations to teach master classes both in
Taiwan and abroad. Sylvia has taught international master classes in Belgium, China,
Greece, Portugal, Russia, and in Spain. In 2011 she was invited as a visiting scholar
by Edinboro University in Pennsylvania, U.S.A.
Her discography includes no less than ten vocal albums as accompanist and two
volumes of French repertoire on piano for four hands, which were received
enthusiastically by critics. Every year she gives concerts in Taiwan and from 2012 to
2013 she gave several piano four hands concerts in Portugal, Spain, and Taiwan with
Spanish pieces as the main themes. In 2016 she also gave two four hands concerts
in France. In the same year, Sylvia gave a recital titled Baroque vs. Jazz. From 2017
to 2018, she gave very successful yearly piano duet concerts.
She is the author of two academic books: "A Study of Domenico Scarlatti's Sonatas",
"Manuel Falla's Night in the Gardens of Spain" and is also an editor for the Chinese
edition of the “Gran Historia de la Musica Classica” (Plaza & Janes, S.A. Barcelona,
Spain)
Sylvia has taught many students who have won national and international prizes at
competitions around the world. She often accepts invitations to be juror on panels of
national and international piano competitions. Currently, Sylvia Chu is the president
of Tai Piano Foundation and Taiwan International Piano Ensemble Competition. She
is currently also a piano professor at Chinese Culture University and Fu Jen Catholic
University in Taipei, Taiwan

Sylvia CHU

Pavel Eliashevich

Pavel Eliashevich - Russia

Born 1969 in St. Petersburg, Russia. Graduated from the St. Petersburg Conservatoire where studied with Vadim Monastyrsky (Piano) and Tamara Fidler (Chamber ensemble). Several years attended the “Holland Music Sessions” Academy where got lessons of Eugene Indjic and Pascal Devoyon. Laureate of various international competitions in Germany and Italy. Founder and artistic director of the noted Russian chamber ensemble “Musica Da Camera” (since 1998 - Ensemble of the St. Petersburg Philharmonic Society). Appears in recitals, with prominent singers, instrumentalists and with orchestras in the best halls of St. Petersburg and abroad (Germany, Holland, Italy, Denmark, Belgium, USA etc.) Made several recordings for various radio stations and CD labels. Was filmed by the NHK-Japan TV for the “Culture of
St. Petersburg” documentary that has got the UNESCO Annual Award in New York (2000). Since 1993 - Professor of Piano and Chamber Ensemble at the Herzen University Institute of Music at St. Petersburg. Gives masterclasses as a guest-professor in Denmark (Royal Academy of Music, Copenhagen), Belgium (Young Artists Performance Academy), USA (Baylor University - Waco, Texas). Works as Jury member at the international competitions in Russia and Europe. Acts as director of several masterclasses and festivals in St. Petersburg. Since 2004 participates as a solo pianist in Stravinsky’s “Les Noces” in Mariinsky Theatre under Valery Gergiev. In 2009 gave one of the first US performances of the First version of Rachmaninov’s Fourth Piano Concerto. In 2013 was awarded the honorary title “Music Ambassador of Europe”.

Pavel Eliashevich

Hector Moreno

Hector Moreno - Argentina

HECTOR MORENO was born in Rosario, Argentina. In his native country he studied piano with Antonio De Raco and Manuel Rego and chamber music with Ljerko Spiller and Sergio Lorenzi, and has held scholarships from the Collegium Musicum, the Mozarteum Argentino and the Bariloche Foundation.

In 1977 he won a British Council scholarship to study with Bernard Roberts, Colin Horsley and Phyllis Sellick at the Royal College of Music in London. Then he studied with Jacqueline Robin in Paris and with Maria Tipo and Alessandro Specchi in Florence.

Hector Moreno has performed frequently as soloist, with orchestra and in recitals in prestigious theaters and concert halls such as Wigmore Hall (London), Salle Cortot (Paris), Teatro Olimpico (Rome), Concertgebow (Amsterdam), Saint Martin-in-the-Fields (London), Residenz (Munich), Teatro Colòn (Buenos Aires), Teatro La Pergola (Florence), Auditorium RTSI (Lugano), Fundaciòn March (Madrid), Philips Collection (Washington), Concert Hall of Maryland University, Kongressaal (Darmstadt), Concert Hall of Zürich Conservatoire, etc. and recorded for important radio broadcasts such as RIAS (Berlin), BBC (London), WDR (Cologne), SWF (Baden-Baden), Oesterreichische Rundfunk, RAI, Radio della Svizzera Italiana, Radiotelevisión Española, KRO (Holland), Radio Vara (Holland), WETA (Washington), Inravisión (Bogotá), Radio Nacional de Buenos Aires (Argentina), etc. He has devoted himself much to the interpretation of chamber music. He plays in duo with the pianist Norberto Capelli with whom he has recorded several Cds for Marco Polo, Arts, Dynamic, Rodolphe, Classico Records, Brilliant and Frame with music by Bach, Brahms, Schumann, Mendelssohn, Moscheles, Busoni, Casella, Respighi, Poulenc, Ravel, Milhaud, Rachmaninoff, Tchaikowsky, Chabrier, Rimsky-Korsakoff, De Falla, Guastavino, Piazzolla and Ginastera.

He was a former teacher of Piano, Piano Duo and Liederitic at Ravenna and Siena Conservatoires.

He is frequently invited to participate in festivals and to take part in the jury of Italian and international competitions.

Hector Moreno

Marina Pliassova

Marina Pliassova - Norway / Russia

Marina Pliassova is performing pianist, lecture and writer. Residing in Fredrikstad/Oslo. She is a member of the Norwegian Non-fiction Writers and Translators Association. Marina Pliassova is teaching at the Barratt Due Institute of Music in Oslo, principal / piano / Young Talents; chamber music; The History of Piano Art; she is the head of the piano Department of the school of "Young Talents" at the Barratt Due music institute in Oslo. She is also the artistic director of pianotalentarena "Young Classisc" which is intended to support young piano talents.

Marina Pliassova was born in Irkutsk, Russia. She graduated from the Irkutsk College of Arts, and then the Novosibirsk Conservatory under Professors Natalia Nisvitzevich and Mark Shaviner. She is the winner of some national competitions in Russia, including the competition teachers-performers of the Krasnodar region in 1990 (first prize). In 1993 Marina got a job as a teacher and performer in Norway in the Lofoten Islands.

From 1995, Marina worked at the Music Conservatory of Northern Norway, a music gymnasium and music school in the city of Tromsø. Since 1998, Marina has lived in Oslo. She teaches at the Institute of Barratt Due, at the Conservatory Department and at the Department for talented children. She manages the piano Department of the school of “Young talents” at the Institute. Among her students, about 120 winners of national and international competitions. Many of them are soloists-performers on an international level.

For more than twenty years of teaching in Norway, Marina Pliassova has managed to create her own teaching methodology, successfully combining the traditions of classical Russian piano school and Scandinavian traditions that do not have such deep roots and classical regularity, but enriched this methodology in other, more democratic views on pedagogy.

In addition to teaching, Marina plays solo and chamber concerts, she is a member of the jury of some competitions as well as engaging in literary and scientific activity. She also regularly gives master classes in different countries, a lecturer in piano technique and the history of Piano Art in different cities in Norway. She writes articles, gives lectures and master classes in various cities of Norway, Russia and abroad, and writes fiction as well.

More information on the sites:

www.marinapliassova.com

www.youngclassicsmusicfestival.com

www.marinapliassova.com

Marina Pliassova

Philippe Raskin

Philippe Raskin - Belgium

Philippe began piano lessons with Aleksandr Friedland, a Russian conductor, and continued working with Bernadette Malter and Loredana Clini. He developed his artistry furthermore with Emanuel Krasovksy, Vincenzo Balzani, Ralf Gothóni, and Leon Fleisher on the piano in addition with Johannes Meissl and Hatto Beyerle for chamber music. At the age of 16, he began studying at the Royal Conservatorium of Brussels in the class of Jean-Claude Vanden Eynden. In the same year, he obtained his first degree with the highest honours. He then joined the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel (still with Jean-Claude Vanden Eynden) and graduated again with highest honours, receiving the diploma from H.M. the Queen of Belgium. During the same period he completed his Masters degree at the Royal Conservatorium of Brussels. “model of radiant authority (...), solar, generous, committed and under control (MDM, La Libre Belgique) ©Michael Dürr. In 2005 he entered the Escuela Superior de Música Reina Sofia in Madrid where he worked for four years under the tutelage of Dimitri Bashkirov. As early as the first year, he received from H.M the Queen of Spain the Sobresaliente Prize at the Pardo Palace. In 2010, Philippe started studying at the Strasbourg Conservatory with Amy Lin for a “Diplome de Spécialisation” where he graduated with the highest honours. In 2012 & 2013, he worked with Leonel Morales. Born in Brussels in 1982, Philippe Raskin devoted himself to music at a very early age. His performances have been illustrated as a “model of radiant authority (...), solar, generous, committed and under control (MDM, La Libre Belgique) and he plays “with an impressive confidence” (JK, Mundo Clasico). Philippe has performed many recitals, as part of chamber groups and as a soloist with orchestras all over the world - in famous concert halls such as Concertgebouw, Salle Cortot, Musikverein, Auditorio Nacional, Mozarteum, Grand Hall of Tchaikovsky Conservatory etc. At the invitation of the Chopin Foundation in Warsaw he performed in the house where the composer was born. Philippe regularly performs with orchestras, notably the Belgian National Orchestra, the Philharmonic Sofia Orchestra, de Filharmonie Antwerp, the Orquesta Filarmonica de Malaga, and the Salzburg Chamber Soloists amongst many others. Philippe has recorded several CDs including works from Beethoven, Brahms and Franck for violin & piano with Johannes Fleischmann and a CD featuring lieder from Schubert, Brahms, Schumann, Weill and Rens with Marie-Laure Coenjaerts. Philippe also regularly performs contemporary music and has taken part in several world premieres. Many composers have dedicated works to him, including "Stringent & Tremulation" from Belgian composer Jean Marie Rens, "Piano Sonata" from Turkish composer Serkan Gürkan and "Sonata Der Hunt" from Austrian composer Christoph Ehrenfellner. Philippe is regularly invited to be a member of the jury in several international piano competitions such as the International Piano Competition Milan “Piano Talents”, the “MozArte” Competition in Cologne, the International Piano Competition Lyon and he is also the artistic director of the César Franck International Piano Competition. In 2009, Philippe opened his piano school and also gives many masterclasses in Belgium and abroad. Currently, Philippe is the artistic director of the “Resonances Musique de Chambre” Festival in France and also teaches at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels.

Philippe Raskin

Rafael Salinas - Spain

Rafael Salinas was born in Valencia where he studied psychology at the University, and piano in the Conservatory. He continued his post-graduate studies in the Saint-Petersburg Conservatory (Russia). There, he became a Doctor in Art Sciences (Ph. D.) and Doctor in Musical Arts (D.M.A) under the direction of Dr. Leonid Gakkel.

In Saint Petersburg, Rafael studied with such important professors as L.N.Sintsev (piano), L. Zhafran (chamber music) and A. Milka (musicology), regularly attending the orchestra conducting lessons of Ilya Musin. He also received advice from maestros such as J. Achucarro, J. Soriano, V. Merzhanov and N. Perelman.

Being interested in specialized music education (gifted and talented children) Rafael Salinas carefully studies the experience of different centers as Specialized Music School in Saint Petersburg or Purcell School in London and participated in many international conferences dedicated to this subject. He was also a member of European Council for High Ability and designed a project for the creation of a Junior Department in Sant Gregori Music School in Barcelona.

Rafael Salinas is the author of a number of articles published in the specialized press as well as a biography on the eminent Spanish pianist Luis Galve (1908-1995). On repeated occasions, Mr.Salinas was invited as a jury member by national and international competitions and as a visiting scholar in Universities, Conservatories and Musical Schools of Europe and Asia.

For a long time, he combines teaching and researching with performing. Rafael Salinas plays in concert halls of Spain and Europe. Many of his students have been awarded in international competitions. He has been a professor in the University Jaume I in Castello (Valencia) and nowadays he is a professor of Piano & Musical Performance Studies at ESMUC (Superior School of Music of Catalunya) and Professor of Historical Performance at VIU (Valencian International University).

Rafael Salinas

Michael Wladkowski

Michael Wladkowski - France

Michael Wladkowski’s enthusiasm and artistic curiosity have led him to explore a repertoire spanning the works of Bach, Beethoven, Chopin and Debussy to works by Alkan and Szymanowski and on to works of contemporary composers such as Thon Tat Thiet, Antoine Tisné and Tolia Nikiprowetzky, who have dedicated major works to him.

This constantly expanding artistic horizon leads Wladkowski beyond the convention of classical performances to connect with audiences. His recitals combined with poetry read by members of the Comedie Française or his lecture recitals highlighting differences and similarities between the great classic works and contemporary works reveals his exploration of blurring genre boundaries.

Wladkowski’s pursuit of new challenges has led him to constantly expanding his horizon. Among his many recordings for Solstice, REM and Peyrole are the piano works of Karol Szymanowski, whose favorite pupil Piotr Perkowski, himself Wladkowski’s teacher, often remarked on the uncanny similarity between Wladkowski’s performance and that of the master.

Just as he has continually widened his artistic horizons, Wladkowski has ignored linguistic and cultural barriers. He studied in the United States, Poland and Austria and speaks fluent English, French, German, Polish, Russian, Hebrew and Italian.

In addition to his solo work, Wladkowski is an avid chamber music performer and has collaborated with many outstanding musicians including Laurent Korcia, Mark Varshawsky and the Kocian Quartet

His performances the world over have been unanimously greeted with enthusiasm as Pierre Petit of “Le Figaro” noted , “Wladkowski is remarkable, an authentic musician who posseses an immediate and splendid contact and who is brilliantly communicative”.

Wladkowski’s passion for the younger generation finds an outlet in his piano class at the Ecole Normale de Musique de Paris where his students include many prize winners of international piano competitions. He is equally in demand for master classes which find him regularly in all the european countries, Israel, U.S.A, Japan, Korea, and in the near future, Australia.

Michael Wladkowski